Publisher's Summary

Myths provide the keys to truly grasping the ways that principles, rituals, codes, and taboos are woven into the fabric of a particular society or civilization.

It's through myths that we can answer these and other fundamental questions: How was the universe created, and why? What is the purpose of evil? Why is society organized the way it is? How did natural features like rivers, mountains, and oceans emerge?

This entertaining and illuminating course plunges you into the world's greatest myths. Taking you from ancient Greece and Japan to North America and Africa to New Zealand and Great Britain, these 36 lectures reveal mythology's profound importance in shaping nearly every aspect of culture. You'll also discover the hidden connections between them - a comparative approach that emphasizes the universality of myths across cultures.

Along with the stories themselves, you'll encounter fascinating characters, including Herakles, the ancient Greek hero whose life illustrates the idea that all heroic stories have a similar structure; Loki, the shape-shifting trickster who introduces the concept of time into the Norse realm of Asgard; and King Arthur, the Celtic lord and founder of the Knights of the Round Table.

Myths, according to Professor Voth, are "gifts from the ancestors to be cherished." His enchanting lectures are the perfect way for you to celebrate these cherished gifts, inviting you to develop your own interpretations of these age-old tales, as well as to ponder the role that myths - both ancient and everyday - play in your own life.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Five stars, with some caveats

This course is an excellent introduction and overview of world mythology. It covers a lot of ground, and does it well. While I would recommend it to anyone, I need to add the following caveats:

Because it covers so much ground, it moves as a very brisk speed, and in some cases I would have preferred to get more depth (for example, more detail on some of the hero myths, and more discussion of the psychological interpretation of myth, a la Rank, Jung and Campbell). Dr. Voth did a really good job of covering the material, but there's enough here for two or even three lecture series.

Second, I found my interest waning slightly in during the latter part of the course. This may have been because (while he never says so) Prof. Voth seems to be suggesting a kind of monomyth for trickster myths (similar to the monomyth of the hero). While I thought the argument and evidence presented for the hero monomyth was compelling, it seemed that the trickster myths were much more diverse (hard to see an parallel between the Norse Loki and the African Anansi as presented here, for example).

Still, the course material was very engaging, and I will definitely be broadening my study of mythology as a result.

Excellent overview of myths!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I was initially looking for a place to start my research into Greek and Roman myth, and this series turned out to be the perfect place. It introduced me to so much more than I set out to discover. It not only touched on individual myths from across the globe, but it also explored the many types/categories of myths and the reasons for their existence. I feel that if I had focused on Greek and Roman mythology without first listening to this series, I would have missed out on so much foundational knowledge. Having a stronger understanding of mythology now will enhance my exploration of ancient cultures and their myths in the future.

What did you like best about this story?

I love that I walked away from this lecture series with a greater sense that myths from across the globe and throughout time are both unique/dynamic as well as universal and fundamentally connected. The details of myths may change, but the reason for their existence in human culture is not so different.

What about Professor Grant L. Voth’s performance did you like?

Professor Voth was very energetic and enthusiastic about the subject matter, and this was certainly contagious. I would have enjoyed this subject matter either way, but his delivery made it so much more enjoyable and kept my interest the entire time. He also gave great suggestions on further research, which I've already pursued. I was actually very sad when this series ended because the new series I've started is taught by a different professor. This series has been my commute companion for quite some time, and Professor Voth made the ride something I really looked forward to each day!!!

Good introduction to world mythology

This is an eclectically organized analysis of myths from around the world, focusing on patterns which come up in all myths, regardless of location. Voth speaks about creation myths, tricksters, heroes and heroines, destruction myths, and how we can look at all these patterns to see some basic truths about ourselves as humans.

I learned a great deal from this series of lectures, though it left me feeling a bit frustrated. Voth, by focusing on the analytical side and on the patterns of myth, did not have time to tell the myths in their entirety. As such, I am ready to devour books upon books telling the actual stories that he merely touched upon.

I definitely do recommend this course for anyone who knows little of world mythology and is curious to learn more, or wants some direction to go for their research.

Very well done and insightful

Where does Myth in Human History rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a very worthwhile course. It contains really good analysis of how myths tell us a lot about the culture, principles, and views held by civilizations, what is most important to them at a particular time, and how that evolves over time (such as people’s conception of “god”). Tales of tricksters were some of the highlights of the course. These tales were not only humorous but also were good topics for psychological analysis (they allowed for people to either question or poke fun of their society’s social norms/rules without ostracism). A great number of myths were covered in the course even though I hoped for a little more time spent on classic fairy tales and the purposes or lessons behind them.

Specific "likes" of mine:• Myths from a wide variety of places were discussed: North American Native American, Sumeria/Asia Minor, Egypt, Greece, Australia, Britain, Africa, China, Japan, etc. (NOTE: myths of ancient Greece were limited due to Professor Vandiver's "Classical Mythology" course) o Discussion around how ancient myths tell us a lot about the culture, principles, and views held by civilizations and what is most important to them at a particular timeo Classification of creation myths into genres:- Earth Diver myths in which creation comes from mud retrieved from water- Cosmic egg- Earth being created from the body of a dismembered god- Ex Nihilo myths in which creation comes out of nothing from a god (i.e. Old Testament)- Emergence myths in which creatures discover the earth from underground worlds- World parent myths in which a parental unit breaks apart into separate individuals- Rebirth of earth via flood stories

o How people conceive/view “god” has changed over time as peoples and civilizations have changed both internally and externally; Peoples’ conception of “god” has morphed from a pre-eminence of a mother goddess to sky gods (when conquering people invaded the lands) to a family of gods (when civilizations sprung up) to a single male god who created everything (monotheism) and then the need to bridge the gap between a god that had become too transcendent and humanity (Jesus, Buddhism, mysticism, etc.)

o Exploration of the common themes of what makes a hero and how all hero myths have similar storyline elements leading some to conclude that all myths may be a part of one general myth/archetype that may either be a reflection of how humans have apprehended the divine or psychological analysis of the unconsciousness

o Tales of the Trickster- a clever troublemaker who stands on the boundaries of humans and the gods and outside the social conventions and values of a society but brings something positive to that society such as introducing fire or the sun to people even if he does so as more of a side effect of his selfish purposes vs altruistic ones

• The professor’s laugh when discussing humorous myths was contagious and created an endearing quality to his style

Relatively minor "dislikes" from me:• At one point I found myself tuning out when one world creation myth after another was being discussed and they sounded like they were all rolling into one another without distinction• The lectures on sacred places weren’t intriguing to me (would’ve liked more trickster myths!)• Would’ve liked more discussion of fairy tales and the purposes and lessons behind them (only two or three were mentioned as part of another topic)

If you have any interest whatsoever in ancient myths and what they say about a civilization, I highly recommend this course. I am not sure anyone else could've handled the topic better.

At times rough (fast) ride, have a notebook ready!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

What I really liked about this course was the "open mind" the professor shows for variations on themes (even if I agree on the critic that he puts too much emphasis on monomyths, that one does not necessarily have to consider existent the first place). The course gave me many new ideas about where to look for "new ideas on old topics", made me research cultures that I haven't had that much contact with yet and, yes, makes me want to read/hear more.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I am looking forward to reading a lot more about Vietnam's myths. There seem to be a lot of really interesting twists on stories I am so used to.True, I am not sure if Mr. Voth actually READ all the material he summarizes. Since he does not give any sources (a fauxpas many of these lecturers make, maybe there's an addendum in the handouts, but I do not have access to those - Audible, do you read?), I must give him the credit of a doubt, but at least for some of the Northern myths (which I have studied myself for some time) he SEEMS to mix some things up or at least isn't 100% up to par with how some of those are (nowadays) believed to have been cooked down.Anyway, this is nit-picking again. I'd like to discuss some questions with the professor, which, unfortunately, is impossible. Another drawback on this way of widening one's perspective: If you DO have questions, you are basically left to your own devices.

Have you listened to any of Professor Grant L. Voth’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Mr. Grant's performance is good for the content, I did speed up playback though, to get a tad more "live" into the narration. This is not a critic, though. As far as I remember I haven't listened to another of Mr. Voth's performance, so I cannot compare.

Any additional comments?

Forgive me for coming back to that monomyth topic - or to the "system" Mr. Voth "uses to analyze myths". While I do see the benefit of having ANY approach to "classifying" or "deconstructing" a story/myth, I feel like Mr. Voth fails in demonstrating what he (or we) get out of this. You can press ANYTHING into any arbitrary "system" if you just press hard enough, and sometimes it felt like Mr. Voth was doing just this: "Well, here we have our global theory of how a myth is constructed, let's see how we can make this narration fit this system". There just isn't any "aha!" to be gained from this, there isn't anything that you would understand BETTER by using such a "raster" to "analyze" a myth.Instead, placing a myth in its historic context (the time when it has probably been "boiled down" more or less into the form we know it in) makes a lot more sense. Frazer's "Golden Bough" is, in that respect, a better demonstration of how a theory can be "twisted" (I mean this in a friendly way) to fit the data ...

Actually, it is this "using a system that gives us nothing" that made me consider rating this course only 3/5 stars, but since I have been there myself (having an idea that I liked so much that I just ignored all evidence standing against it) ... here you go. :-)

Enjoyable and refreshing

If you could sum up Myth in Human History in three words, what would they be?

Interesting, meaningful, connecting

What about Professor Grant L. Voth’s performance did you like?

Very easy to listen to and well-researched with supporting evidence. He paces his speaking and uses a calm but reassuring voice which made me feel I was in the front-row of a lecture being delivered just for me.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this as it re-connected me with some stories I remember as a child. I felt that I gained a better understanding of the importance of myth in our lives. It was interesting to hear common connections between societies/ cultures/ religions and how people have created stories to understand their world and phenomena within it.

Eye-Opening

This was a wonderful course. I was worried at the beginning that it was too introductory -- I hold a degree in history, English, and theatre and the first two lectures were old hat for me. But as soon as Prof. Voth moved into discussing individual myths and influences, I was completely on board. Even the very familiar Adam and Eve myth was given new light. I highly recommend the course!

Great research, and documentation

Great research and documentation. It is too difficult to follow if you are driving due to the proliferation of characters

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sort by:

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Exidia

09-28-14

Really easy way to learn!

What did you like best about this story?

It's not a story, but a series of lectures about how humans have used myths to explain things they couldn't understand. You have to engage brain in order to appreciate it, but it is well worth the effort.

What about Professor Grant L. Voth’s performance did you like?

He has a lively style and is a good, listenable lecturer.

Any additional comments?

The only reason it didn't get full marks was that the man who introduces each lecture shouts in the most annoying way!!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Finn

06-16-18

A broad array of myths with provocative analysis

The course achieves a good balance of myth-telling with analysis of those myths. Myths are taken from a generous range of cultures, grouped by theme rather than origin. This is important, as it allows common motifs to be identified across stories of different origin, establishing patterns and typical narrative frameworks.

The lecturer is engaging and fluid: the myths are told warmly, and their significance well-emphasised.

Overall, the course allows an insight into something more than the history of different cultures. It is a window into the minds of the people who held those myths as sacred - how they viewed the world, where they thought their place in it was, and what they valued.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

Diogenes

06-25-17

A very knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturer who might be able to structure this better.

The thematic structure makes this course unnecessarily complex and difficult to follow.

I would have preferred it if the course covered all of the themes upfront and in detail and then when through each set of myths or cultures as a collective. This would give the listener more time to become familiar with the characters and more cultural specific elements of each myth or set of myths. Of course while going through each "set" of myths by region or culture the lecturer could make reference to the themes (or analytical tools) referred to at the beginning.

Unfortunately of the 25 or so Great Courses that I have completely (several more than once) this is the most difficult to follow, not because of its content, but because of its structure.

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

Story

1 out of 5 stars

mr

06-02-14

Not great

A subject that is very interesting, made boring. The stories are great and should be left to speak for them selves, less repition, more variety.